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June 3, 2011

Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake

This was the first recipe I tried out of my new cookbook. My friend, Nicole, told me that Olive Garden's Cream Cake is to die for and she isn't even a big lemon fan! I have no idea if this cake tastes like the real Olive Garden cake, because I have never had it. I should have given a piece to Nicole to try, but I didn't think about that until now and this cake is long gone!! However, the Top Secret Restaurant Recipes website has really good reviews for this cake.

The recipe said to combine the vanilla crumb topping ingredients and press it into the sides of the finished cake, but that sounded so strange to me, because I would feel like I was eating straight butter? So, I decided to add my crumb topping to one of the cakes before I baked it. That way, while it baked, it would create a nice, cooked, crispy topping, kinda like a streusel. Honestly, I don't think the crumb topping did much for this cake and I wouldn't add it next time. It tasted great with just the white cake mixed with the lemon cream filling. Yum! If you have had the original Lemon Cream Cake and happen to try this recipe. Let me know if it compares to the real deal!!

Note: These measurements are based on a Betty Crocker cake mix. If you chose to use a different brand, the ingredients and measurements might be different.

Lemon Cream Filling

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 c. powdered sugar

3 Tbl. lemon juice

1 c. heavy whipping cream

Vanilla Crumb Topping

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. cold butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Make white cake according to the directions on the box. Divide batter between two 9'' cake pans. Bake according to box directions. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes. Then, invert cakes to cooling rack and cool completely.

Make the lemon cream filling by mixing cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in lemon juice. Whip the cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until it forms stiff peaks. Fold cream cheese mixture with whipped cream. Stir gently by hand until blended.

Make crumb topping by combining flour and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Add butter and dribble in the vanilla extract. Use your hands or a pastry cutter to mix cold butter into flour and sugar. Break butter into smaller and smaller pieces as you incorporate it into the dry ingredients. Be sure not to press the mixture together. You want to end up with a very crumbly consistency with pieces no bigger than a pea.

When the cake is cool, spread all but 1/2 cup of the lemon cream mixture onto the bottom half of the cake, then carefully place the top half of the cake over the filling. Spread remaining filling over the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle the crumb topping on top of the cake and press it onto the sides all the way around the cake. Now chill the cake for at least three hours before you serve it. When you are ready to dig in, slice cake into 12 slices. Serve each slice topped with powdered sugar tapped through a strainer. Serves: 12. Keep refrigerated.

Jenn's Notes: I added a little lemon extract to my filling to give it a little stronger lemon flavor. I also sprinkled the vanilla crumb topping onto one of my cakes before I baked it, so it would create a nice crispy topping. After letting the cakes cool completely. I spread the entire amount of filling onto the bottom cake layer and then refrigerated it for a while, so it would harden slightly and it wouldn't run out the sides when I put the top cake layer on. It worked beautifully and tasted great.

This is my favorite cake whenever I go to the Olive Garden. It never crossed my mind that I could make it myself. I'm so glad I saw this recipe today!! I'll definitely make this soon. I have an event coming up. I'd like to invite you to share this on A Well-Seasoned Life's Sweet Indulgences Sunday.

this looks great..and beautiful! Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting! I love meeting new blogging friends and I can tell I am going to LOVE your blog posts! I am your newest follower and would love it if you would follow me too! Thanks!-Nikkihttp://chef-n-training.blogspot.com/

This looks really good. I especially liked your tip about refrigerating the filling on the bottom layer so it won't come out the sides when you put the top layer on. I have had that happen with other cake recipes.

That cake looks so very delicious. I'm practically licking my screen :) I am going to have to check out the secret recipes site too. I'm your newest follower. I wanted to invite you to come over and share your recipe at These Chicks Cooked Recipe Spotlight today. Have a great day :)Katie

I made this cake today, but had serious trouble with the cream filling. After I made the filling and saw how runny it was, I put it into a piping bag and put it into the freezer for an hour or more. I had baked the cake in a spring form pan, so after it cooled completely and I cut it in half and piped on the cream, which was still runny, I kept the cake in the spring form pan. I ended up having to completely freeze the bottom layer with the cream filling before I added the top layer, because it would still not "stand" on its own. I had planned on serving it today, but will wait until tomorrow when the entire cake & filling is frozen. It will be more like an ice cream cake. I followed the directions exactly, with the exception of adding another tablespoon of lemon juice. Could that have made the huge difference?

Anonymous - Sorry to hear you had troubles with the cream filling. Did you use full fat cream cheese and did you whip the cream until it formed stiff peaks? My filling was soft, but not runny? I put the entire amount on my bottom layer cake and it definitely held itself in place, but if I would have put the top cake layer on right away, it would have come out the sides. That is why I refrigerated the bottom cake layer with the cream filling for awhile before I added the top layer (like I said in my notes in the recipe), but I only refrigerated it for a few hours at the most and it was fine? You could have tried to add a little more powdered sugar to make up for the extra lemon juice? - Jenn

KIA ORA - I think adding extra lemon flavoring would only make this better! I would make sure the zest is grated pretty fine and I love the flavor of lemon extract and think it would taste great in the cake! - Jenn

I just made this cake for a Valentine's party, and it was a huge hit. It is so delicious. I didn't do the crumb topping, but just frosted the cake all over and then decorated it with a heart made out of fresh raspberries. It looked and tasted fabulous! Thanks for the recipe!

Hey, I tried this cake but doing it the original way adding the crumbles after baking and frosting the cake. I loved it and the crumbles were one of my favorite parts. I ended up frosting the whole cake and adding the crumbles to the top and sides. It was delish! Thanks for the recipe!

Sandra - It has been forever since I made this, but I remember it being fine for a few days. You have to refrigerate it for quite a while anyway before eating, so I'm pretty sure it would be fine to make the night before. Just make sure and keep it refrigerated. -Jenn

The Olive Garden's Lemon Creme Cake is one my family's favorite restaurant desserts and I have tried a copy cat recipe which may not be the same one as you have posted here. Sadly, mine turned out not even close to Olive Garden's. I have discovered an Italian Mascarpone Torta sold around the holidays at Aldi's. It is frozen, my husband bought 8 boxes to keep in the freezer and pull out whenever the mood strikes. I could almost swear it is the same cake served at Olive Garden. We took one to my sister's at Christmas and everyone loved it.

I'm with you about eating raw flour and butter! I did not enjoy the first cake I made, so I set out on a mission to improve it. The second time, I combined the crumble ingredients then spread it onto a baking sheet and stuck it in the oven to crisp up and brown slightly. Once it cooled a bit I used a pastry cutter to chop it up into crumbles to apply to the finished cake. Also, to bump up the lemon flavor in the filling, along with the lemon juice in the recipe I beat in a teaspoon of "True Lemon" powder. I don't know how close this is to Olive Garden's but it was a huge hit!! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the cake recipe. I made the cake. Loved the taste, with one small issue. My filling did not thicken as well as what I see in the photo. I did put it in the fridge for a couple of hours, but no luck. The taste was still great. I will add the crumbs to the top prior to cooking next time.